tony tiptrip - we back in '82 (2009)

Been in a kitschy 80's mood recently so I figured I might share with you this mix I did back in 2009. It's called: 'we back in '82' which is a wordplay on this inside joke me and my friends shared back then. Well, without further ado, here's the mix along with the tracklist and a short info I wrote when the mix came out:

This time I'd like to take you on a musical journey through time and space...Hold on to your seats cause we're about to go back in time... 

The year is 1982: Atari has just introduced the hit game 'Pac Man', 'E.T.' earns millions of dollars in cinemas worldwide, Reagan declares his 'War on drugs' and Mr.T from the A-Team is just an anonymous, random bouncer in some dodgy nightclub... 

Think 1982, think 'Ghostbusters', think black leggings, tight Lycra mini skirts, leotards, leg warmers and green/pink nylon tracksuits! You get the picture?

Expect over-synthesised beats, soulful vocals, funky grooves and lyrics that are just as predictable as you'd expect them to be! Yeah, your right, it sure is kitsch, it sure is cheesy! But believe me - it'll make your ass go boompty-bop in no time! 

So getcha Ray-Ban's outta yer closet cause the '80s are now officially back!

Tracklist:

1. Shalamar - A Night to Remember (1982)

2. Dynasty - Love in the Fast Lane (1981)

3. The Whispers - It's a Love Thing (1980)

4. Midnight Star - Night Rider (1983)

5. The Whispers - In the Raw (1981)

6. Lakeside - Fantastic Voyage (1980)

7. The Whispers - Contagious (1984)

8. Midnight Star - Midas Touch (1986)

9. Midnight Star - No Parking on the Dancefloor (1983)

10. Midnight Star - Operator (1984)

11. Dynasty - I Don't Wanna be a Freak but I Can't Help Myself (1979)

12. Dynasty - Satisfied (1979)

13. Carrie Lucas - Dance with You (1979)

14. Ripple - The Beat Goes On and On (1977)

15. Instant Funk - I Got My Mind Made Up (Larry Levan mix) (1978)

We back in '82 by Tony Tiptrip on Mixcloud

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Beastie Boys - The In Sound from Way Out! (1996)

The Beastie Boys have frequently proven that they feel comfortable in a variety of genres. The New York-based trio started off as a punk band in 1979 but some time around the mid-1980s they turned towards hip-hop and since then have sold over 40 million albums worldwide to much critical acclaim. However, their records have never been solely hip-hop flavoured. The group incorporated a variety of sounds in their albums, mixing fast-paced rock tunes with laid-back, funky grooves in between sample-heavy hip-hop joints. What glued it all together were the razor-sharp lyrics of Mike D, MCA and Ad-Rock and their trademark rap style. At times, however, the guys would abandon their mic's and jam out funk-filled instrumental tunes that would later work as interludes in their albums.

By 1996, the Boys, inspired by their French fan club which came up with the idea, decided to make a compilation album with the instrumentals from their previous records. And so, 'The In Sound from Way Out!' (which btw borrows the title and the cover art concept from the 1966 Perrey and Kingsley album) was released. The disc features 13 tracks, all of which have already previously appeared on: 'Check Your Head', 'Ill Communication' and the 'Jimmy James' and 'Sure Shot' singles.

Fair do's - there's no new material on the record, but it still is a pleasant listen. The album features a bunch of loose funk grooves with rhythmical wah-wah guitars, warm Hammond licks and laid-back, conga-heavy percussions, all neatly wrapped up in a jazzy vibe. But that's not all. With tunes like 'Eugene's Lament' and it's distinctive violin solo or 'Shambala' with the Tibetan monk chants in the background, the Beastie Boys give us a little taste of the Orient thereby keeping the album material fresh and interesting.

At any rate, this album will definitely not provide any big surprises if you know your Beastie's. But if you enjoyed bopping your head to their lazy funk joints on their previous records, then I really do believe it's an album worth having.

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Dimitri From Paris - live @ Djoon, Paris (8/04/2011)

Ok...Let's start off by saying that Dimitri from Paris is actually not from Paris. Dimitri Yerasimos, as is his actual name, was born in Istanbul to Greek parents. However, he grew up in France and from an early age was heavily involved in the French house scene. Taking inspiration from 70s disco and funk, he created a unique sound that quickly got him the recognition he deserved - in 1986 he was hosting the first house music radio show in France on Radio NRJ. Apart from that he was involved in producing runway soundtracks for such fashion labels as: Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Hermès and Yves Saint-Laurent. In 1996 he released his first album, entitled 'Sacrebleu', on Bob Sinclar's Yellow Productions label, which was a massive success - UK's Mixmag proclaimed it 'Album of the Year'. Dimitri is also responsible for tons of remixes, for such renowned artists as: Björk, The Cardigans, James Brown, New Order and Quincy Jones.

I'm writing about Dimitri cause just a couple of weeks ago I had the immense pleasure of hearing the man live at Djoon - the soulful mekka of all the househeadz in Paris and by far my favourite club in the French capital. And, I gotta admit, it was utterly mind blowing! Trust me, I've been to many clubs in my life, heard many djs play, but what Dimitri showcased cannot be expressed in human terms - it was a night of pure magic and a truly spiritual experience!

If I were to choose one word to describe it, it would definitely be: energy !...Dimitri is simply the god of the 12" realm. Throughout the night he was serving the groove-hungry crowd an eclectic mix of the finest cuts of beats out there. The ease with which he jumps between genres, mixing music from the whole spectrum of 'dance music' results in a hot and heavy mixture of pure joy. Simply dynamite!

I think that's what really separates the men from the boys. DJ-ing is seriously not only about getting the perfect, seamless blends. It's sooo much more! And if there's anybody who understands, it's gotta be Dimitri. The man was like a snake-charmer, hypnotising the crowd with the slightest move of the faders.Utilising tricks that in some societies could easily be classified as black magic, Dimitri took control of our bodies and souls for the whole night, creating a truly mystical musical journey. I mean, at several points during the night I found myself getting to the point where I thought I was gonna rip the hair off my head - if that's not Voodoo, I don't know what is!...Tune after tune, Dimitri manages to make your heart beat faster and faster, and just when you start thinking to yourself: 'My god, can he take it even further?'....straight away, he comes in with another banger of a tune, making you submit to his beat-infused mysticism!

Like I said before, the true magic in this mix stems from Dimitri's excellent intuition and his unmistakable eclectic style. There's soulful, disco-diva-styled vocals, hypnotic hard-hitting beats, fantastic percussion arrangements with plenty of mayfield-like congas and cowbells...all this is covered with fat, funky basslines and a steamy, red-hot groove! Tune, after tune, after tune!

So, if you wanna see for yourself what dance music is really about it, buckle up and let Dimitri hijack your soul!

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Curtis Mayfield - Superfly OST (1972)

This soundtrack to the blaxploitation film by the same name could may well be the soundtrack to a whole decade - the 70s. And who could capture this distinct sound better than Curtis Mayfield? A legend, a pioneer, a ghetto poet - a genius!

Superfly, the film, (directed by Gordon Parks Jr. - the man who brought us Shaft) tells the story of a black drug dealer from Harlem, New York, who goes by the name of 'Youngblood Priest'. Said pusher, tired with the life he lives, decides to quit his successful career and so convinces his partner - Eddie - to organise one last score, earn a lot of dollah and get out of the business. Priest's story serves as a base for depicting, as it usually is with the blaxploitation genre, the gang-ridden streets of the ghetto with its corrupt cops, dodgy pimps, dirty hookers and desperate junkies.

Curtis' soundtrack does pretty much the same thing. He has already been known for his well crafted music with forcible and expressive lyrics from the time he performed with The Impressions quartet during the 60s. The Superfly OST was his third solo release, however, and it didn't show any signs of him losing it!

The album is a soul & funk masterpiece! A mixture of the trademark wah-wah guitar, deep, funky basslines, groovy keys, vivid percussions and a stinging horn section - all topped up with Mayfield's laid-back falsetto. Hell, you even get the odd strings every now and then giving it a disco-ish feeling. The music, however, only serves as a background to Curtis' incisive social commentary of black urban life in the 70s.

Besides the overall damning attitude, the lyrics just sound great and fantastically complement the music:

I'm your mamma, i'm your daddy

I'm that nigga in the alley

I'm your doctor, when in need

Want some coke, have some weed

You know me, i'm your friend

Your main boy, thick and thin

I'm your pusherman

I'm your pusherman

Ain't i clean, bad machine

Super cool, super mean

Feelin' good, for the man

Superfly, here i stand

Secret stash, heavy bread

Baddest bitches, in the bed

I think you can clearly see that Curtis Mayfield inspired and anticipated the whole rap/hip-hop vibe (with it's 'thug life' stories). Well it's no surprise then, that his tracks have been sampled by such great hip-hop artists as:
Pete Rock, Gang Starr, Biggie Smalls, Beastie Boys, Master P, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Ice-T etc. etc.


I strongly recommend watching the film to get the feeling of the music and the times. But for now, just check this out (definitely watch the first vid - it's an actual excerpt from the film):

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